Stories tracking Jacksonville’s downtown growth, redevelopment projects, and efforts to revitalize the city’s urban core.
Featured image for “It’s Florida-Georgia week. The commotion has already begun.”
The Florida and Georgia fans are split at EverBank Stadium during a recent game. | City of Jacksonville
October 28, 2025

It’s Florida-Georgia week. The commotion has already begun.

Expect the usual traffic and crowds as the Florida-Georgia game approaches on Saturday.…

Featured image for “Sale of historic Armory building moves toward City Council vote”
This historic Armory building, completed in 1916, sits south of Hogans Creek and north of State Street near Downtown Jacksonville. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today
October 27, 2025

Sale of historic Armory building moves toward City Council vote

Jacksonville officials could sell the 109-year-old Armory building to a Fort Lauderdale developer for $2.89 million.…

Featured image for “A chill in the air at EverBank Stadium … literally”
One of JEA's chilled water compressors at its Downtown plant. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today
October 17, 2025

A chill in the air at EverBank Stadium … literally

JEA says chilled water is a growing method of cooling buildings, including the stadium and the Four Seasons.…

Featured image for “Why the city thinks incentives for Downtown Starbucks make sense”
A licensed Starbucks franchise is planned on the ground floor of Bank of America Tower at 50 N. Laura St. | Jacksonville Daily Record
October 9, 2025

Why the city thinks incentives for Downtown Starbucks make sense

Jacksonville officials say a Starbucks in the Bank of America Tower would be a sign of health for Downtown.…

Featured image for “Driverless Downtown shuttles are drawing few riders”
JTA's new NAVI, an autonomous downtown shuttle service, moves down East Bay Street. The service has low ridership three months after it began. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
October 7, 2025

Driverless Downtown shuttles are drawing few riders

Just over 100 people a day have used the NAVI shuttles, but the mayor and JTA predict the number will…

Featured image for “Cannabis store planned in Downtown Jacksonville”
GŪD Essence, a cannabis products retailer from Miami, is planned at the former Burger King at 210 E. State St. in Downtown Jacksonville. | Joe Lister, Jacksonville Daily Record
October 6, 2025

Cannabis store planned in Downtown Jacksonville

GŪD Essence, a cannabis retailer, would occupy the closed Burger King at 210 E. State St.…

Featured image for “Starbucks seeks incentives for Downtown coffee shop”
A licensed Starbucks franchise is planned on the ground floor of Bank of America Tower at 50 N. Laura St. | Jacksonville Daily Record
October 3, 2025

Starbucks seeks incentives for Downtown coffee shop

The Starbucks franchise would open on the ground floor of Bank of America Tower.…

Featured image for “JEA negotiating with Live Oak to sell Downtown tower”
The 19-story former JEA headquarters tower at 21 W. Church St. could soon be sold to a developer led by Live Oak Contracting. | Courtesy of JEA
September 12, 2025

JEA negotiating with Live Oak to sell Downtown tower

Live Oak Contracting wants to convert the former JEA campus into apartments and retail.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Will Bread & Board ever return Downtown?”
The former Bread & Board restaurant at 100 W. Bay St. in Downtown Jacksonville. | Mike Mendenhall, Jacksonville Today
August 29, 2025

#AskJAXTDY | Will Bread & Board ever return Downtown?

VyStar Credit Union is working to find another restaurant for the space left empty by Bread & Board.…

Featured image for “#AskJAXTDY | Who’s paying for The Pearl sculpture at RiversEdge?”
The city has issued a permit for a sculpture called The Pearl at the RiversEdge development on the Downtown Southbank. The Pearl is the centerpiece of the development's Central Park. | Jacksonville Daily Record
August 11, 2025

#AskJAXTDY | Who’s paying for The Pearl sculpture at RiversEdge?

The city is kicking in $1 million for the sculpture. The developer will pay the rest.…

Featured image for “2-way traffic is back on 2 Downtown streets”
A double yellow stripe lines the center of East Forsyth Street in Downtown as part of change to 2-way traffic, as well as Adams Street one block over. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
July 2, 2025

2-way traffic is back on 2 Downtown streets

City officials say the change on Adams and Forsyth streets will make them more friendly to pedestrians and businesses.…

Featured image for “Downtown Investment Authority board selects Baltimore’s Colin Tarbert as new CEO”
Colin Tarbert, president and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corp., has been selected to be the next CEO of the Jacksonville Downtown Investment Authority | Jacksonville Daily Record
June 10, 2025

Downtown Investment Authority board selects Baltimore’s Colin Tarbert as new CEO

Colin Tarbert, the longtime Maryland development executive picked to be the Downtown Investment Authority’s new CEO said the Jacksonville job…

Featured image for “Pearl Square in Downtown Jacksonville evolves, expands”
Pearl Square looking at the building in Block N4, now called 425 Beaver St. The building will include 286 multifamily units, nearly 20,000 square feet of retail space and on-site parking. Gateway Jax broke ground on the project May 29. | Jacksonville Daily Record
June 9, 2025

Pearl Square in Downtown Jacksonville evolves, expands

Developer Gateway Jax says its Pearl Square project, now encompassing nine properties, will provide “everything an individual may need on…

Featured image for “More development planned in Downtown Jacksonville”
The Cathedral District Apartments would be part of a seven-story residential and retail complex at East Duval and Newnan streets. 
April 4, 2025

More development planned in Downtown Jacksonville

Downtown could add affordable housing in the Cathedral District and retail and a restaurant in Brooklyn.…

Featured image for “Land swap for UF could bring new riverfront tower”
The Gateway Jax development would include 11 floors of residences, five floors of hotel rooms, two floors of podium parking and lobbies, a floor of public food and beverage space, and a public sky garden terrace. | Gateway Jax via Jacksonville Daily Record
February 7, 2025

Land swap for UF could bring new riverfront tower

The Downtown Investment Authority is proposing a swap of two city-owned riverfront properties with Gateway Jax.…

Featured image for “THE JAXSON | Rehabilitated urban passenger rail stations”
January 15, 2025

THE JAXSON | Rehabilitated urban passenger rail stations

The Prime Osborn Convention Center could become a major mixed-use economic hub. With that in mind, here is a look…

Featured image for “Metropolitan Park design unveiled; here’s what it includes”
People look at the final Metropolitan Park proposal during a town hall meeting Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2024. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
December 18, 2024

Metropolitan Park design unveiled; here’s what it includes

Metropolitan Park would retain most of its trees and create new space for events and recreation on the river.…

Featured image for “Laura Street Trio sale could pave a path forward”
The Laura Street Trio of historic buildings at Forsyth and Laura streets in Downtown Jacksonville are shown Nov. 11, 2024. | Monty Zickuhr, Jacksonville Daily Record
November 25, 2024

Laura Street Trio sale could pave a path forward

The owner of the long-vacant Laura Street Trio is interested in selling the property to its partnering developer.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville halts negotiations on Laura Street Trio”
The back side of the Laura Street Trio, as seen July 10, 2024. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
November 13, 2024

Jacksonville halts negotiations on Laura Street Trio

The city said it is terminating negotiations with developers and will refile a foreclosure lawsuit over the long-empty Laura Street…

Featured image for “2 developments get underway in Jacksonville’s urban core”
The first phase of Springfield's Emerald Station officially opened Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, on North Liberty Street. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
October 30, 2024

2 developments get underway in Jacksonville’s urban core

The Emerald Station and Gateway Jax developments will transform neglected parts of the city with meeting spaces, offices and residences.…

Featured image for “More shops and restaurants envisioned in Downtown Jax”
An illustration shows Hogan Street between Monroe and Adams streets. Features include restaurants, landscaping, urban art and the Urban Trail cycle track for bicyclists. | Downtown Investment Authority
October 29, 2024

More shops and restaurants envisioned in Downtown Jax

The Downtown Investment Authority has approved a plan to energize several blocks along Laura and Hogan streets.…

Featured image for “Gateway Jax will begin construction this month”
Block N11 will include a seven-story, 21,000-square-foot mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and 205 residential units. | Jacksonville Daily Record
October 17, 2024

Gateway Jax will begin construction this month

Groundbreaking is scheduled Oct. 29 for the first phase of the Gateway Jax development in Downtown Jacksonville.…

Featured image for “Jacksonville seeks to foreclose on Laura Street Trio”
The Laura Street Trio has been deteriorating for decades. | Jessica Palombo, Jacksonville Today
August 26, 2024

Jacksonville seeks to foreclose on Laura Street Trio

The complaint states that Trio ownership owes the city more than $800,000 in unpaid fines for municipal code violations.…

Featured image for “Gateway Jax could begin construction soon”
An illustration shows a street in the Gateway Jax development, also known as The Pearl Street District. | Ted Vitale, Gateway Jax
August 14, 2024

Gateway Jax could begin construction soon

City Council this week approved $98.58 million in incentives for the mixed-use development in the North Core of Downtown Jacksonville.…